Arches National Park is one of the most unique and vibrant national parks of the U.S. The top hike in the park is the Devils Garden Loop, which is 7.2 miles long, and hits great views of eight awe-inspiring arches.
Arches National Park - Photo by J. Mays
You can view a park map here. Arches National Park offers very accessible hikes, so expect the shorter hikes to be somewhat busy. The Devils Garden Loop is the least frequented hike and takes you away from the busier areas of the park! In the not-to-distant future, Black Rucksack will be travelling to Moab, UT once again to travel and test some less frequented hikes!
Arches National Park - Photo by J.Mays
Best time of the year (with moderate temperatures and generally clear) to visit? April, May or October, with April being the wettest month. If you love the heat and lots of visitors, then June, July and August often offer temperatures over 100. Bring your water!
A rugged jacket for adventuring...
You know that spring or summer rainstorm/monsoon/torrent that we all inevitably end up in at the most unexpected and inopportune time? Say, when you need to fill the gas tank or just as you arrive at the campsite but haven’t yet setup? ”Infrequent” may describe how often these scenarios occur, still, they happen. Good news… there is a jacket that you can rough up and will still keep your top half dry. The Craghoppers Bandero Jacket…
There is something you should know about the Craghoppers company before getting to the details of the Bandero Jacket. Simply, they have a passion for gear. For 45 years they’ve been producing quality outdoor gear in the United Kingdom, all started by a dream to summit Mt. Everest. Craghoppers is a company based on a quintessential adventure and because of that, they succeed perfectly in creating worthy gear.
Craghoppers also works with Bear Grylls to create clothing specifically for the extreme conditions Bear will encounter. While we don’t know for sure whether or not the Craghoppers Bandero Jacket was influenced by Bear, we are pretty sure it would qualify for one of his adventures.
The jacket itself is a thing of beauty… stylish, et al. Even if Craghoppers didn’t already have a great reputation for creating quality gear, I would recommend this jacket solely on its reliability. It’s comfortable and the fit is perfect. I am 5′ 10″ with broad shoulders and the large jacket fits like a glove. All the pockets, flaps, zippers, seams and buttons are NOT flimsy like they can be on many other jackets. This jacket keeps the bulk down but truly feels rugged. A side benefit of the Craghoppers Bandero Jacket is that it could be worn in a variety of conditions: hiking, fishing, hunting, a night on the town, urban, rural, treasure hunting, fall, winter, spring and possibly even in the summer.
Specifications:
-23oz. (660g)
-Roll-away hood
-2 zipped hand pockets and inner pocket plus concealed map pocket
-Chin guard and waterproof storm flap
-AquaDry polyester fabric with water-repellent finish
-Lifetime Guarantee!
Bottom Line:
One of the best multi-use jackets at an absolutely great price.
Craghoppers Bandero Jacket
$110 (currently on sale for $60)
$110 (currently on sale for $60)
For those of you who haven’t seen Pavel Datsyuk in action this video is your introduction to an extreme hockey talent. The man is a magician. Be sure to note the time on the clock…
Pavel the Magician
It’s plays like this that demonstrate why the word “Datsyukian” needed to be created. Datsyukian indeed!
Fire. Power. Watch the video and you’ll almost feel it. Accessible human spaceflight may one day be brought to you by SpaceX. Founded in June 2002 by PayPal co-founder Elon Musk, SpaceX is a private company dedicated to private and commercial space transport. Oh, and they have kick ass rockets… see the video of SpaceX testing the SuperDraco engine.
Stand-up to the wind...
Editor’s Note: Welcome back to Black Rucksack! We took a hiatus and we’re back now; we’re moving on down the trail.
Attention adventurers! Attention hikers! Attention trail runners! Attention bikers! Remember that hot, muggy summer day that suddenly turned into a cool (almost cold), muggy summer night? Remember starting your dune climb in a blistering heat at the bottom and then upon arrival at an overlook for the ocean or a Great Lake, getting hit with a cool from-the-water wind? Well, say goodbye to not having an easily packable piece of wind gear to protect from cool nights and lake or ocean breezes. Meet the GoLite Dakota Wind Shirt…
This shirt has three stand-out features. First off, this “GoLite” product really is lite; it’s only 4 ounces (103 grams) and packs down into its own (apple sized) pouch. That makes it convenient for bringing along on any outdoor exploit or stowing in the car with other emergency gear. Second, the stretch nylon side panels allow for maximum mobility; you’ll be able to climb, paddle and adventure with ease. Third, the Dakota Wind Shirt’s fabric perfectly blends durability and breathability. It’s tough enough to be worn through a trail ride spill and it won’t cause you to overheat even when you’re at 110%. That is a rare combination, indeed.
Really, there is only one slight con to this jacket, and it’s based on a personal preference… the 3/4 zip should simply be a full zip. A full zip would improve mobility and allow for quick, hassle-less on and off. All in all though, we recommend this jacket.
Bottom Line:
Worthy of howling back at the wind!
Specifications:
-4 oz. (103 grams)
-3/4 Zip
-Recycled, anti-static fabric
-Stretch Nylon side panels for improved fit
-Self-stowing lower back pocket
-Reflective logos
Get the GoLite Dakota Wind Shirt:
-at Amazon.com
A requirement for any adventure...
As I stomped through a canyon outside of Moab, Utah I stumbled upon an oddly shaped outcrop of red rock. I was intrigued and immediately started examining the surrounding area. As I moved to the sunlit side of the outcrop, my eye caught a glint coming from an object on the ground. I knelt to take a closer look at the object and as I did, I smashed my knee on a piece of glass that I didn’t see because it was covered by dirt. I found that just barely underneath the topsoil there were a number of antique bottles and such. I dug deeper and found no less than six separate bottles, mostly whole. Since I was 3.5 miles into this canyon and had to climb in numerous areas, carrying a bunch of glass out was not going to be possible. Due to this experience back in 2003, I started carrying either a rucksack or some sort of bag almost everywhere I traveled and regardless of whether or not an adventure may ensue. My absolute favorite bag is the Mark VII…
In the early years of the Second World War the British military adopted the Mk.VII bag to carry the standard service gas mask; it’s also the bag that Indiana Jones always carried with him. This bag is rugged and worthy of carrying more than just gas masks. In fact, I can think of no other bag that would be better suited to carry trinkets out of a canyon in Moab. A canvas sack with a leather shoulder strap is one of the most simple yet essential carry-all devices. Measuring roughly 11″ tall, 10″ wide and 3″ thick, the Mk. VII neatly separates gear you’ve carried in and finds that you’re going to want to carry out.
The Mk. VII has utility for a variety of hobbies and adventures. If you’re a hunter, it’s perfect to use as a shell bag in addition to carrying your knife, flashlight and a Snickers. If you’re a fisherman, you’ll find the bag good for use as a creel or to carry all of your misc. fishing gear, ie. pliers, knife, tackle, repellents, etc. And if you’re an adventurer well, it’s good for your many adventures.
I’ve ordered three replica Mk. VII’s (one for myself and two as gifts) from What Price Glory (onlinemilitaria.net) and they’ve all been very high quality.
For getting that cold one open ASAP...
Gone are the days of treating your home bar as if it were yours and yours only. No, these in-house-drink-serving-places-of-relaxation can be more than just an extra room to kick back and play pool; they can be shared and enjoyed by many.
For example, the home bar can be the focal point of a night of entertaining guests, family or otherwise. If you’re stuck with the neighbors who you didn’t really want to invite over but had to, at least you have liquor. Or, it can be the place to getaway from it all and play five card stud or the ‘ol Army game with your five closest buddies, surrounded by cigar smoke and fine whisky. Regardless of how you enjoy your home bar it always needs a few bold, powerful drinking tools.
Enter the ZACK Wall-Mounted Bottle Opener. It’s bold, it’s tough as hell and it’ll fit in seamlessly onto a wall in your bar. Made of 18/10 stainless steel, it has that perfect shine that’ll blend with all the rest of your stainless steel bar tools. It’s not the classic cast iron bottle opener, then again, it’s not snobby either. It mounts easily with the included screws and adds more bottle opening power to your bar.
The ZACK Wall-Mounted Bottle Opener is a welcome addition to the world of bar tools. Get one for your home bar or as an early Christmas gift for a friend today! It’s simple, effective and faultless for cracking open pilseners, lagers and ales for all.
Get the ZACK Wall-Mounted Bottle Opener:
-at Amazon.com
Shoe perfection? Close.
The Little Manistee River in northern Michigan serves as a gauntlet for any water shoe. This river has many different types of difficult to navigate riverbeds including: small and loose pebbles, soft sand, slippery clay and large boulders. The Teva Sunkosi 2 water shoe is made to conquer exactly these types of riverbed challenges.
Teva, Hebrew for nature, created an outsole for the Sunkosi 2 that is made of a durable, high friction rubber for much needed grip in the river. Teva refers to this rubber compound as “Spider Rubber”, rightfully so; the outsole is great in the water or on land. Available in two colors, gunmetal and stone grey, and weighing in at only 10.6 ounces / 605 grams, a pair Sunkosi 2′s are comfortable and meant for freestyle canoeing or kayaking, whitewater rafting or a day of workin’ on the boat at the dock.
Teva Sunkosi 2 water shoes are built to perfection for a day on any river, including the Little Manistee.
Get the Teva Sunkosi 2 Water Shoe:
- at Amazon.com
- at REI.com
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